®
ARRT Continuing Education Requirements
Last Revised: September 1, 2014
Published: September 1, 2014
reporting period. The R.T. has until the end of his /her birth
month to complete the application.
SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION
SECTION 4. BIENNIUM REPORTING PERIOD
The Board of Trustees of the American Registry of Radiologic
Technologists (ARRT) announced in 1991 that it would begin
phasing in continuing education requirements for renewal of
certification and registration. In 1995, Continuing Education
(CE) became a mandatory requirement for renewal or
reinstatement of certification and registration. This document
describes the CE Requirements. The requirements are subject
to change as the need arises. Terminology used in the text is
defined in Section 20 of this document.
The CE Requirements are linked to a two-year period
(biennium) that is defined in relation to the R.T.’s birth month.
The biennium begins on the first day of the R.T.’s birth month.
The biennium extends for two years to the end of the month
prior to the birth month. Biennium dates are identified in the
lower right corner of the annual Application for Renewal of
Certification and Registration and are printed on the pocket
credential card after renewal of certification and registration is
complete. Biennium dates may also be verified by accessing
the Verify Credentials tab on the ARRT website or through the
interactive telephone system by selecting option 1, Continuing
Registration Information. All CE credits must be completed
between these dates. The renewal of certification and
registration will continue on an annual basis, with the CE
Requirements being reported every other year. The two-year
CE period was selected to allow flexibility in fulfilling the
requirements (i.e., if no CE can be earned in the first year, the
second year is still available to complete the credits). The end
of one biennium will mark the beginning of the next biennium.
Credits earned in one biennium cannot be carried forward
into the next biennium.
SECTION 2. RATIONALE FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION
Certification and registration is a method of assuring the
medical community and the public that an individual is
qualified by knowledge and skills to practice within the
profession. After initial certification and registration, advancing
technology and changing job responsibilities may require
technologists to update their knowledge and skills consistent
with any new developments in medical imaging, radiation
therapy, and interventional procedures.
The purpose of the Continuing Education (CE) Requirements
is to provide a mechanism for Registered Technologists to
fulfill their responsibility to maintain competence in their
categories of certification and registration. Participation in CE
demonstrates accountability to peers, physicians, healthcare
facilities, and the public. It also reinforces the Code of Ethics
jointly endorsed by The American Registry of Radiologic
Technologists and The American Society of Radiologic
Technologists (ASRT).
All Registered Technologists (R.T.s) are required to comply
with the CE Requirements. Registered Radiologist Assistants
(R.R.A.s) and Registered Sonographers are held to additional
requirements that are identified in Sections 18 and 19
respectively.
SECTION 3. RENEWAL OF CERTIFICATION AND
REGISTRATION OF A CERTIFICATE
When an ARRT certificate is first issued, it is registered
through the end of the R.T.s next birth month. Thereafter,
R.T.s must complete the Application for Renewal of
Certification and Registration on an annual basis
corresponding with their birth month.
Two months prior to an R.T.’s birth month, an application for
renewal of certification and registration is available online and
may be accessed on the ARRT website at www.arrt.org.
During the month prior to an R.T.s birth month, an Application
for Renewal of Certification and Registration is mailed to the
address of record by the ARRT. The renewal process requires
completion of the renewal application on which the applicant
supplies current information and agrees to continue to practice
according to the Standards of Ethics. In addition, every other
year, the R.T. must document participation in CE by listing on
the renewal form the CE activities completed during the past
Biennium Reporting Period
_________________________________________________
Example 4.1: An R.T. who has a February birth month is
assigned a biennium from February 1, 2014, through January
31, 2016. To comply with the CE Requirements, 24 CE credits
must be reported with the application for renewal in February
2016. The next biennium starts February 1, 2016, and
extends to January 31, 2018. While certification and
registration renewal is required every year, reporting of CE
compliance is only required every other year. 24 CE credits
must be reported with the application for renewal in February
2018.
_________________________________________________
SECTION 5. CE REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW CERTIFIED
AND REGISTERED TECHNOLOGISTS
R.T.’s who have recently earned their first ARRT certification
and registration will begin the mandatory CE Requirements on
the first day of their next birth month after the examination
administration.
Example for New R.T.s
_______________________________________________________
Example 5.1: New R.T.s who earn initial certification and
registration in 2014 begin their first CE biennium on the first
day of their next birth month and will be required to report CE
compliance with their renewal two years later. For example: A
new R.T. has an October birth date and initial certification and
registration in June 2014. His/her biennium will begin on
October 1, 2014 and continue to September 30, 2016.
_______________________________________________________
Copyright 2014 by The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. All rights reserved.
R.T.s who become certified and registered in additional
disciplines will maintain the biennium reporting period
established with their initial certification and registration.
ARRT that they have successfully passed the examination
and have become certified and registered in the new
discipline. On-site scores are not considered official
notification.
SECTION 6. OPTIONS FOR SATISFYING CE
REQUIREMENTS DURING A BIENNIUM
Examples of primary certifications and/or registrations that have
been approved by the ARRT are:
(1) Radiography through ARRT,
(2) Nuclear Medicine Technology through ARRT or
NMTCB,
(3) Radiation Therapy through ARRT,
(4) Sonography through ARRT,
(5) Magnetic Resonance Imaging through ARRT,
(6) Dosimetry through MDCB,
(7) Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Vascular Technology or
Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography through the ARDMS
(initial certification - that is passing both SPI and a
specialty exam) is awarded 24 CE credits; exams in
additional specialty areas, will qualify for 16 ARRT CE
credits with CE bienniums beginning on or after January
1, 2013),
(8) The Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA) certification
program is sponsored by the AHRA and independently
managed by the Radiology Administration Certification
Commission (RACC).
There are three options for meeting the CE Requirements.
Only one option must be met to satisfy the requirements. The
options are: (1) earn 24 CE credits that meet the criteria set
forth by the ARRT; or (2) earn certification and registration in a
primary discipline not previously held and for which the
individual is eligible and which the ARRT recognizes for this
purpose; or (3) earn post-primary certification and registration
not previously held and for which the individual is eligible and
which the ARRT recognizes for this purpose. Each of these
options is described in further detail in Section 7 and Section 8.
SECTION 7. SATISFACTION OF CE REQUIREMENTS BY
EARNING CE CREDITS
One option for satisfying the CE Requirements is to earn 24
Category A or A+ credits of continuing education evaluated by
a Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism
(RCEEM) or RCEEM+ during the biennium. A maximum of 12
CE credits per biennium may be claimed for tumor boards.
(See Section 20 for more information concerning tumor
boards.) Effective January 1, 2011, the maximum number
of CE credit for applications facility training will be capped
at 8.0 Category A credits per biennium. Directed readings,
home study courses, or Internet activities reported in a
biennium may not be repeated for credit in the same or any
subsequent biennium. Lecture presentations may not be
repeated for credit in the same biennium.
Examples of approved post-primary certifications and/or
registrations are:
(1) Mammography through ARRT,
(2) Computed Tomography through ARRT,
(3) Magnetic Resonance Imaging through ARRT,
(4) Quality Management through ARRT,
(5) Sonography through ARRT,
(6) Vascular Sonography through ARRT,
(7) Bone Densitometry through ARRT,
(8) Vascular-Interventional Radiography through ARRT,
(9) Cardiac-Interventional Radiography through ARRT,
(10) Breast Sonography through ARRT,
(11) Radiologist Assistant through ARRT,
(12) Nuclear Cardiology through NMTCB,
(13) Positron Emission Tomography through NMTCB,
(14) Certified Imaging Informatics Professional through
ABII.
CE activities (as defined in this document) that contain content
relevant to the radiologist extender and have been approved
by a RCEEM+ are awarded Category A+ credit. ARRT
approved RCEEMs+ are identified in Section 20.
CE activities accepted by other credentialing organizations
may not satisfy ARRT’s CE Requirements (e.g., clinical
instructorship, AMA, nursing CE).
R.T.s and R.R.A.s should select CE topics that are related
to their area of practice and that will maintain their
competence and prevent professional obsolescence.
The CE requirement is not dependent on the number of ARRT
certificates held by the R.T. For example, an R.T. certified and
registered in both radiography and mammography need earn
only 24 credits per biennium for the ARRT. The credits do not
have to be specific to radiography or mammography but must
be relevant to the radiologic sciences and/or patient care as it
relates to the radiologic sciences. This does not address the
CE requirement for the Mammography Quality Standards Act
(MQSA) of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If you
have questions regarding the FDA MQSA requirements,
please contact the FDA Mammography Hotline at
(800) 838-7715 or www.fda.gov.
CE credits will not be awarded for an initial ARRT primary
certification and registration exam or re-examination for
reinstatement of certification and registration.
SECTION 9. CE PROBATION STATUS: APPLICANTS FOR
RENEWAL WHO FAIL TO MEET THE CE REQUIREMENTS
An R.T. who applies for renewal of certification and
registration, but who fails to meet the CE Requirements within
the previous biennium or is non-compliant at the time of
renewal, will automatically be assigned to a “CE Probation”
status. Additionally, R.T.s whose CE Report Forms are
incomplete will be assigned to the CE Probation status. R.T.s
who have been assigned to probation due to failure to meet
the CE Requirements will receive a credential card indicating
“CE Probation”. This status will be reported in response to
any inquiries regarding the R.T.’s standing with the ARRT.
SECTION 8. SATISFACTION OF CE REQUIREMENTS BY
PASSING AN EXAMINATION
The CE probation period will begin on the first day of the birth
month and extend until the last day of the following sixth
month. During the CE probation period, R.T.s will be allowed
to complete the credits that they were lacking during the
biennium with no additional penalty credits. When the CE
probation credits are completed, the R.T. must submit a CE
Within a biennium, R.T.s who become certified and registered
in an additional primary or post-primary discipline have met
the CE Requirement for the current reporting period. In order
to use an additional primary or post-primary certification and
registration, R.T.s must first receive official notification from
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Probation Report Form along with a $50 fee. When CE
compliance is confirmed, the CE Probation status will be
removed and a new credential card issued. If the individual
is not in compliance with the CE Probation Requirements
by the end of the probation period, certification and
registration will be discontinued. Eligibility to reinstate will
follow the existing polices as noted in the ARRT Rules and
Regulations.
not meet the CE probation requirements is no longer certified
and registered by the ARRT. Present or prospective
employers or state licensing agencies inquiring about the
status of such a person will be told that the individual is not
certified and registered by the ARRT. Since information for
those who do not annually renew can quickly become
outdated, and since providing such information is a service
reserved only for R.T.s, no information on the person (other
than that they are not certified and registered by the ARRT)
will be provided. Reinstatement of certification and
registration will be allowed only after successful completion of
the reinstatement requirements as noted in the ARRT Rules
and Regulations.
R.T.s who have annually renewed, but are classified as being
on CE probation due to not meeting the CE Requirements,
may be removed from CE probation status by successfully
completing one of the following options during the first 6
months of the biennium: a primary certification and
registration examination in a different discipline for which they
are eligible; or a post-primary certification and registration
examination for which they are eligible; or completion of CE
credits. If the CE option is used, the R.T. will be required to
complete the number of credits lacking from the 24 credits
required during the previous biennium. All CE probation
credits must meet the ARRT’s definition of Category A or A+
credit. In addition to the CE credits that are required during the
first 6 months of the next biennium for removal from probation
status, an additional 24 CE credits must be completed by
the end of the new biennium in order to remain in
compliance with the requirements. CE credits used to satisfy
the probation requirements cannot be used for the
biennium requirements.
SECTION 11. RETIRED AND DISABLED
R.T.s who are permanently retired from active practice in
medical imaging, interventional procedures, and/or radiation
therapy who no longer wish to meet the Continuing Education
Requirements may apply for retired recognition in accordance
with the provisions of Section 5.06 of the ARRT Rules and
Regulations.
R.T.s who are permanently disabled and who no longer wish
to meet the Continuing Education Requirements may apply
for disabled recognition in accordance with the provisions of
Section 5.07of the ARRT Rules and Regulations.
SECTION 12. REQUIREMENTS FOR CE ACTIVITIES
Example of the Number of CE Credits Required
for Removal from CE Probation Status
_______________________________________________
Example 9.1:
CE Credits
Probation Credits
Reported in the
Required
Biennium
22
2
15
9
12
12
5
19
__________________________________________________
All activities applied toward the CE Requirements must meet
the ARRT’s definition of a CE activity. The definition states
that a learning activity must be planned, organized, and
administered to maintain and enhance the knowledge and
skills underlying the professional performance that an R.T.
uses to provide services to patients, the public, or the medical
profession. Activities meeting this definition may qualify as
either Category A or A+ credit, depending upon whether they
have been submitted reviewed, and approved by a RCEEM or
a RCEEM+.
The R.T. participating in a CE activity does not submit the
activity to a RCEEM for approval. Instead, the R.T. is
responsible for selecting activities that the CE sponsor has
already submitted to a RCEEM or RCEEM+ for Category A or
A+ credit.
Example of CE Probation Status for a Biennium Not in
Compliance
_______________________________________________
Example 9.2:
24 credits required between 6/1/2012 and 5/31/2014.
Activities meeting ARRT’s definition of an Approved
Academic Course are not required to be submitted to a
RCEEM to qualify for Category A credit. (See Section 20 for
Approved Academic Course).
June 1, 2014– An R.T. with a June birth month reported 19
CE credits of the 24 required for the past biennium (lacking 5
credits) and paid the annual renewal fee. Placed on CE
probation status.
Advanced CPR certification (such as ACLS and PALS)
through the American Heart Association, Red Cross, or the
American Health & Safety Institute are not required to be
submitted to a RCEEM for Category A credit. CPR Instructor
or Instructor Trainer no longer receives CE credit with CE
bienniums beginning on or after January 1, 2015. ARRT
no longer accepts CE credit for basic CPR (BLS, BLS
with AED, Healthcare Provider CPR) completed after
January 1, 2007.
November 30, 2014 – The R.T. completed a total of 5 CE
probation credits or passed an exam between June 1, 2014,
and November 30, 2014, and paid the CE probation fee.
Removed from CE probation status.
May 31, 2015– During the 2014-2016 biennium (in addition to
the probation CE Requirements) the R.T. must complete an
additional 24 credits of CE or pass an additional certification
and registration exam, and pay the annual renewal fee to
remain certified and registered.
All other CE activities must be approved by a RCEEM or
RCEEM+ in order to be assigned Category A or A+ credits.
The ARRT recognizes that some states have legislation
requiring CE credits in order to maintain a state license to
practice in the profession. An R.T. who completes CE
activities in the state in which he or she is licensed as part of
his or her state’s licensing requirements may count the CE
____________________________________________________
SECTION 10. FAILURE TO RENEW CERTIFICATION AND
REGISTRATION
An individual who fails to apply for renewal of certification and
registration or who does not pay the annual fee or who does
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SECTION 14. DOCUMENTATION AND REPORTING
PROCEDURES
credit as Category A if the state regulatory agency is
mandated by law to evaluate CE activities for licensing
purposes and has approved the activity for CE credit. The
state licensing agencies currently approved as meeting
ARRT criteria are Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky,
Massachusetts, New Mexico, Oregon, and Texas.
R.T.s are required to maintain proof of participation in CE
activities. At the end of the reporting period, the ARRT will
provide a CE Report Form along with the Application for
Renewal of Certification and Registration. The R.T. will be
required to list completed CE activities on the CE Report Form
and attest to the truthfulness of the information. Failure to
complete the CE Report Form in its entirety will result in the
assignment of CE probation status. Individual CE
documentation forms verifying participation should NOT be
returned with the renewal form.
Activities that have been approved by the American Medical
Association (AMA Category 1) will not be accepted for CE
credit except for the R.R.A. as described in Section 18.
Hospital accreditation (Joint Commission) and federal
government (OSHA) education requirements such as fire
safety, lifting procedures, patient restraints, etc., that are
completed after January 1, 2007 are not recognized by
ARRT unless approved by a RCEEM.
When the CE Report Form is received in the ARRT office, a
sample of R.T.s will be selected and asked to provide copies
of documentation of CE participation. (See Section 20 for
definition of Audit). This documentation will be used to verify
the CE activities that were reported. The ARRT reserves the
right to make adjustments to CE status after the review is
completed. ARRT will discontinue the certification and
registration of an individual who does not respond to a
request for a CE audit by submitting documentation of
CE participation. Reinstatement will be required. The
ARRT reserves the right to request original documentation
when in its sole opinion there is any question regarding
authenticity. If original documentation is requested, it will be
returned at the end of the inquiry. The R.T. is responsible
for keeping the original documents for one full year after
the end of the biennium reporting period or eighteen (18)
months after the end of the CE probation reporting
period. An R.T. may decide to have documentation
maintained by an ARRT-approved record-keeping
mechanism. Several such mechanisms exist and are provided
by various national societies either as a service to their
members or at a fee to non-members. The ARRT currently
recognizes the CE record provided by the ASRT, SDMS,
SNMMI-TS, and SMRT. The ARRT accepts the CE records
from the state licensing agencies in Florida, Iowa, and
Kentucky only for the R.T.s licensed by those states.
SECTION 13. AWARDING OF CE CREDITS
Category A and A+ activities as identified in Section 12 are
awarded the number of CE credits assigned by the evaluation
mechanism (i.e., RCEEM, RCEEM+, state licensing agency)
or as specified in this section. A contact hour is defined as
being equal to 50 to 60 minutes. Activities longer than one
hour should be assigned whole or partial CE credit based on
the 50-minute hour. Educational activities of 30 to 49 minutes
in duration will be awarded one-half CE credit. An activity that
lasts less than 30 minutes will receive no credit.
Directed readings, home study courses, or Internet
activities reported in a biennium may not be repeated for
credit in the same or any subsequent biennium. These
activities are not complete until the post-test has been
submitted and the sponsor has issued the certificate of
participation. The pre-printed date on the certificate is the
date of completion; and must be applied by the CE
sponsor. R.T.s may not alter this date.
Activities meeting the definition of an approved academic
course (See Section 20) will be awarded credit at the rate of
12 CE credits for each academic quarter credit or 16 CE
credits for each academic semester credit. A transcript
(official or student copy) must include both the month and
year the course was completed is acceptable documentation
for a CE audit. An indication that the class was passed
(pass/fail) or a grade of “C” or better is required to receive CE
credit for an academic course.
It remains the responsibility of the R.T. to see that records are
maintained properly. Errors made by a record-keeping
mechanism are not acceptable reasons for failure to provide
appropriate documentation.
Documentation of participation in Category A and Category
A+ CE activities must be on a certificate or in written form that
clearly indicates the information needed to identify the activity
as having been approved by a RCEEM or RCEEM+.
Documentation must include name of the participant, preprinted dates of attendance (handwritten dates are not
accepted), title and content of the activity, Category A or A+
designation, number of contact hours for the activity, name of
the sponsor, signature of the instructor or an authorized
representative of the sponsor issuing the documentation, and
CE reference number provided by the RCEEM, and
identification of approving RCEEM.
ACLS or PALS certification will be awarded a maximum of six
CE credits. A valid advanced CPR card from the Red Cross,
the American Heart Association, or the American Safety and
Health Institute is acceptable documentation for a CE audit.
The advanced CPR certification (ACLS or PALS) can be used
only once per biennium. The total number of credits from
advanced CPR certification is limited to six CE credits per
biennium.
CPR Instructor or Instructor Trainer no longer receives
CE credit with CE bienniums beginning on or after
January 1, 2015. ARRT no longer accepts CE credit for
basic CPR (i.e., BLS, BLS with AED, Healthcare Provider
CPR) completed after January 1, 2007.
Approved academic courses, as defined by the ARRT, may
be used for compliance with the CE Requirements (See
Section 20 for definitions of an Approved Academic Course).
A copy of a college transcript (official or student) that includes
both the month and year the course was completed is
acceptable documentation for a CE audit. An indication that
the class was passed (pass/fail) or a grade of “C” or better is
required to receive CE credit for an academic course. There
is no limit on the number of times an R.T. may be audited.
CE activities accepted by another credentialing organization
may not comply with ARRT’s CE Requirements (e.g., clinical
instructorship).
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SECTION 15. ELECTRONIC TRANSFER OF CE RECORDS
SECTION 18. CE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
REGISTERED RADIOLOGIST ASSISTANT (R.R.A.)
The ARRT will accept electronic transfer of CE credits from
record-keeping organizations that have been approved by the
ARRT.
 If you completed your required CE credits at least two
months prior to the end of your biennium and your
records were successfully transferred, ARRT will not send
you a CE Report Form. A notice of the transfer will be
printed on the renewal form.
 If you complete the paper renewal form, you must list ALL
CE credits completed during the biennium. Do not
assume any transfer of credits
 If you renew online, the transferred CE credits will appear
on your online CE Report Form. You can add other CE
credits that you completed to demonstrate compliance.
Do not assume that CE credits you completed were
transferred if you do not see them on the online form.
(1) The R.R.A. is required to complete 50 CE credits
within a biennium.
The 50 CE credits must satisfy several criteria as noted
below:
 A minimum of 25 of the 50 CE credits must be earned
through activities designated as Category A or Category
A+. Category A credits are those approved by a RCEEM
as being appropriate for R.T.s. Category A+ credits are
intended for the radiologist extender and approved by a
RCEEM+. Current RCEEM+ approvers are ASRT, RSNA,
AVIR and SNMMI-TS. Certain activities available to
R.R.A.s (see AMA/ACCME, AAPA, and AAFP below) are
not classified as either Category A or Category A+ but
may be used in the manner described below.
 A minimum of 25 of the 50 credits must be earned through
activities intended for the radiologist/physician extender or
the radiologist/physician. Activities meeting this
requirement include:
- Activities designated as Category A+ (i.e., activities
intended for the radiologist extender and approved by
a RCEEM+ authorized by ARRT to evaluate such
activities.)
- Activities approved by the AMA/ACCME (Accreditation
Council for Continuing Medical Education) for Category
I credit. These activities are designated as Category P
credits for the R.R.A. These are not Category A+
credits because AMA/ACCME is not a RCEEM or
RCEEM+.
- Activities approved by the AAPA (American Academy
of Physician Assistants) for Category I credit. These
activities are designated as Category P credits for the
R.R.A. These are not Category A+ credits because
AAPA is not a RCEEM+.
- Activities approved by the AAFP (American Academy
of Family Physicians) for Category I credit. These
activities are designated as Category P credits for the
R.R.A. These are not Category A+ credits because
AAFP is not a RCEEM+.
- A maximum of 12 CE credits per biennium may be
claimed for tumor boards. (See Section 20 for more
information concerning tumor boards.)
 A minimum of 35 of the 50 CE credits must be discipline or
specialty specific to the R.R.A. area of practice. The area
of practice is defined as the role generally performed by
R.R.A.s as opposed to the specific role of an individual
R.R.A.
- The individual R.R.A. will monitor this requirement.
ARRT will check compliance through the CE audit
process.
 General Requirements:
- Sponsor of the CE activity must be able to verify the
individual’s participation.
- The activity must be a minimum of 30 minutes in
length.
- A maximum of 12 CE credits for tumor board activities
may be used.
- Category A+ credit must meet the same approval and
documentation requirements as Category A credit.
Additional requirements may apply only to Category A+
activities.
CE Requirements for the R.R.A will be integrated into the
requirements needed to maintain the R.T. designation; that is,
earning 50 CE credits that meet the criteria described above
SECTION 16. REQUIREMENTS FOR CE SPONSORS
Sponsors of CE activities are the owners or authorized
representatives of the owners of the CE activity and are
responsible for the content, quality, and integrity of the
educational activity. Sponsors plan, organize, support,
endorse, subsidize, and/or administer educational activities.
Sponsors are also responsible for documenting attendee
participation for possible verification at a later date. Sponsors
may be, but are not limited to: national, regional, state, and
district professional societies; academic institutions;
healthcare agencies; healthcare facilities; and federal, state,
and local government agencies or individuals. Sponsors must
apply for and receive approval from a RCEEM or RCEEM+ in
order to award Category A or A+ credit for activities. CE
sponsors may not receive credit for completing activities that
they developed. CE sponsors/instructors may not receive
credit for courses that they teach as part of their job
responsibilities.
SECTION 17. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE REGISTERED
TECHNOLOGIST (R.T.)
Compliance with the CE requirements is ultimately the
individual R.T.’s responsibility. If an activity is intended for
use as Category A credit, the R.T. is responsible for
contacting the sponsor of the CE activity if there are questions
as to whether the activity has been approved by a RCEEM or
RCEEM+ for Category A or A+ credit. If the certification and
registration examination option is going to be attempted for
CE credit, the R.T. must make sure that sufficient time is
available to comply with the CE Requirements in the event
that the certification and registration is not achieved.
The R.T. is responsible for maintaining proper documentation
on activities even if an ARRT-approved record-keeping
mechanism is being used to track credits. R.T.s should retain
a copy of the ARRT CE Report Form submitted for renewal of
certification and registration. R.T.s should list ALL Category
A and A+ CE credits earned, even if the total is more than 24
credits. Once the CE Report form is submitted, changes
cannot be made. CE Probation status will be assigned if
reported and compliant CE credits are less than the minimum
24 required – even if time remains in the CE biennium. As
noted in Section 14, the R.T. is also responsible for providing
proper documentation for validation of CE participation at the
request of the ARRT.
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will satisfy the requirements to maintain both the R.T. and the
R.R.A. The R.R.A. will maintain the same CE reporting
period that was assigned when the individual became an R.T.
R.R.A. CE Requirements will begin on the first day of an
individual’s next biennium after obtaining the R.R.A.
certification and registration.

RCEEMs that wish to review and approve R.R.A. level CE
activities must receive approval from ARRT before the
evaluated CE activities will be accepted as R.R.A. level CE or
Category A+ credit. Interested RCEEMs may request
application information by contacting ARRT. If approved,
ARRT will designate these RCEEMs as RCEEM+.
ARDMS specialty certification following initial certification
(16 CE credits with CE bienniums beginning on or after
January 1, 2013.)
Academic Courses
Courses that meet ARRT’s academic criteria and
Sonography Content Specifications:
12 CE credits per 1 quarter hour course
16 CE credits per 1 semester hour course.
*Must follow ARRT’s Continuing Education Requirements.
(2) CE Probation for the R.T.(S)(ARRT)
Sonographers who are not in compliance with the CE
Requirements by the end of their CE biennium will be placed
on CE probation. The CE probation period will begin on the
first day of the birth month and extend until the last day of the
sixth month. For example, CE probation for a sonographer
born in January would be from January 1 through June 30.
During the CE probation period, the sonographer must
complete the credits that were lacking during the biennium. A
credential card will be issued indicating “CE Probation” and
will be valid for the probation period. When the CE probation
credits are completed, the sonographer must submit a CE
Probation Report Form along with a $50 fee. The total
number of CE credits completed during the 30 months prior to
the end of the CE probation period (that is, 24 month CE
biennium period plus 6-month CE probation period) must be
24 with at least 16 of the total specific to sonography. When
compliance is confirmed, the CE probation designation will be
removed and a new credential card issued. If the
sonographer is not in compliance with the CE probation
requirements by the end of the probation period, certification
and registration will be discontinued. Reinstatement of
certification and registration will be allowed only after
successful completion of the reinstatement requirements as
noted in the ARRT Rules and Regulations.
(2) CE Probation for the R.R.A. R.R.A.s who are not in
compliance with the CE biennium requirements will be placed
on CE probation. The CE probation period will begin on the
first day of the birth month and extend until the last day of the
following sixth month. For example, CE probation for an
R.R.A. born in January would be from January 1 through June
30. During the CE probation period, R.R.A.s must complete
the credits that they were lacking during the biennium with no
additional penalty credits. A credential card will be issued
indicating “CE Probation” and will be valid for the probation
period. When the CE probation credits are completed, the
R.R.A. must submit a CE Probation Report Form along with a
$50 fee. When compliance is confirmed, the CE probation
status will be removed and a new credential card issued. If
the R.R.A. is not in compliance with the CE Probation
Requirements by the end of the probation period, certification
and registration will be discontinued. Reinstatement of
certification and registration will be allowed only after
successful completion of the reinstatement requirements as
noted in the ARRT Rules and Regulations.
SECTION 19. CE REQUIREMENTS FOR ARRT CERTIFIED
AND REGISTERED SONOGRAPHERS
SECTION 20. DEFINITION OF TERMS
Terminology used within this document is defined as follows:
(1) Effective January 1, 2013, those holding the ARRT
R.T. (S)(ARRT) credential, are required to complete a
minimum of 16 sonography-specific CE credits as part of
the required 24 CE biennial credits.
AAFP: American Academy of Family Physicians, phone:
(913) 906-6000 or (800) 274-2237, website: www.aafp.org.
CE Requirements for sonographers will be integrated into the
requirements needed to maintain the R.T. designation; that is,
the 16 CE credits specific to sonography will count towards
the 24 CE credits that are required each biennium.
Sonographers will maintain the same CE reporting period that
was assigned when the individual became an R.T. CE
activities accepted by other credentialing organizations may
not satisfy ARRT’s CE requirements (e.g., clinical
instructorship, AMA, nursing CE).
 Sonography RCEEMS (i.e., AIUM, SDMS, SVU)
CE activities approved by these RCEEMs will be
accepted as compliant with the sonography-specific CE
requirement.*
 Non-Sonography RCEEMs (i.e., AHRA, ASRT,
SNMMI-TS) and State Licensing Agencies (SLAs)
CE activities approved by these RCEEMs and/or SLAs
that have the words “Sonography” or “Ultrasound” in the
title will be accepted as compliant with the sonographyspecific CE Requirement.
 Certification Exams
ARRT Breast Sonography (24 CE credits)
ARRT Vascular Sonography (24 CE credits)
ARDMS initial certification (24 CE credits)
AAPA: American Academy of Physician Assistants,
phone:(703) 836-2272, website: www.aapa.org.
ABII: American Board of Imaging Informatics,
phone: (651) 994-6410, website: www.abii.org.
ACCME: Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical
Education, phone: (312) 527-9200, website: www.accme.org.
ACR: American College of Radiology, phone: (800) 2275463, website: www.acr.org.
Advanced Level CPR: Category A credit will be awarded for
valid advanced level CPR certification. Advanced level CPR
certification is limited to the following: Advanced Cardiac Life
Support (ACLS), or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
Only one certification may be claimed per biennium. Six
Category A credits will be awarded on the date of certification
or re-certification. A copy of a valid certification card issued by
the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or the
American Safety & Health Institute will serve as
documentation. CPR Instructor or Instructor Trainer no
longer receives CE credit with CE bienniums beginning
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on or after January 1, 2015. ARRT does not accept CE
credit for basic CPR (BLS, BLS with AED, Healthcare
Provider CPR) completed after January 1, 2007.
ARRT: American Registry of Radiologic Technologists,
1255 Northland Drive, St. Paul, MN 55120-1155, phone
(651) 687-0048, website: www.arrt.org.
AHRA: American Healthcare Radiology Administrators, 490B Boston Post Road, Suite 200, Sudbury, MA 01776, phone:
(978) 443-7591 or (800) 334-2472, website:
www.ahraonline.org.
ASNC: American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, 4340
East-West Highway, Suite 1120, Bethesda, MD, 20814,
phone: (301) 215-7575, website: www.asnc.org.
ASRT: American Society of Radiologic Technologists,
15000 Central Avenue SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87123-3909,
phone: (505) 298-4500 or (800) 444-2778, website:
www.asrt.org.
AIUM: American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine,
14750Sweitzer Lane, Suite 100, Laurel, MD 20707, phone:
(301) 498-4100 or (800) 638-5352, website: www.aium.org.
AMA: Activities approved by the American Medical
Association (AMA Category 1) may not be used by R.T.s to
satisfy CE requirements unless also approved by a RCEEM
or a RCEEM +. They may be used by R.R.A.s as described
in Section 18.
Audit (CE): An official verification of CE credits reported to
ARRT. The ARRT can request individual CE records and/or
certificates of participation that are used to validate the CE
credits reported to the ARRT. As of January 1, 2006, ARRT
will discontinue the certification and registration of an
individual who does not respond to a CE audit by submitting
documentation of CE participation. Reinstatement will be
required. (See Section 14.)
ANA: Activities approved by the American Nurses
Association may not be used by R.T.s or R.R.A.s to satisfy
CE requirements unless also approved by a RCEEM or a
RCEEM+.
AVIR: Association of Vascular and Interventional
Radiographers, 2201 Cooperative Way, Suite 600,
Herndon, VA 20171, phone: (571) 252-7174 website:
www.avir.org.
ANCC: Activities approved by the American Nurses
Credentialing Center may not be used by R.T.s or R.R.A.s
to satisfy CE requirements unless also approved by a
RCEEM or a RCEEM+.
Biennium: A period of time spanning two years. As used in
the ARRT renewal process, the start of the R.T.’s birth
month every other year marks the beginning of a biennium.
Because the ARRT’s renewal process is linked to the R.T.’s
birth month, the biennial period is likewise linked to an
R.T.’s birth month.
Approved Academic Course: A formal course of study that
is relevant to the radiologic sciences and/or patient care as it
relates to the radiologic sciences and is offered by a postsecondary educational institution accredited by a mechanism
recognized by the ARRT. Accreditation mechanisms
currently recognized by the ARRT are: Middle States
Commission on Higher Education, New England Association
of Schools and Colleges, North Central Association of
Colleges and Schools Higher Learning Commission (HLC),
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities,
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission
on Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges
(ACCJC), Senior College Commission(SCC), and the
Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
for courses completed on or after January 20, 2014. Relevant
courses in the biologic sciences, physical sciences,
radiologic sciences, health and medical sciences, social
sciences, communication (verbal and written), mathematics,
computers, management, or post-secondary adult education
methodology will be accepted. Some subject areas that will
NOT be applicable include, but not limited to, clinicals,
independent study; courses in archeology, astronomy, fine
arts, geology, geography, history, music, philosophy, and
religion. CE is awarded for dissertations and thesis when
published in a peer-reviewed journal or is listed in MEDLINE.
CAMRT: Canadian Association of Medical Radiation
Technologists, 1000 - 85 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada K1P 6A4, phone: (613) 234-0012 or (800) 4639729 (Canada only), website: www.camrt.ca.
Category A Credit: An activity that qualifies as a CE
Activity as defined in this document and that meets one of
the following criteria, is awarded Category A credit.
1. Activities approved by a RCEEM. (See listing of
RCEEMs in this section),
2. Approved Academic Courses (See references to an
approved academic course in this section and in Section
13).
3. Advanced CPR Certification in ACLS or PALS, through
the American Heart Association, the Red Cross, or the
American Safety and Health Institute. ARRT no longer
accepts CE credit for basic CPR (BLS, BLS with AED,
Healthcare Provider CPR) completed after January 1,
2007.
Academic courses completed on or after January 1, 2015,
must be accredited by mechanisms recognized by the
USDE or CHEA, and the institution must be authorized to
grant degrees by the U.S. Congress, state government or a
recognized sovereign Indian tribe.
4. State Licensing Agency: R.T.s who are licensed by and
have completed CE requirements to maintain their license
in the following states may designate the CE activities that
are evaluated and approved by their state licensing agency
as Category A credit (see Section 12):
Florida
Illinois
Iowa
Kentucky
Massachusetts New Mexico Oregon
Texas
ARDMS: American Registry for Diagnostic Medical
Sonography, 51 Monroe Street, Plaza East One, Rockville,
MD 20850, phone: (800) 541-9754, or (301) 738-8401
website: www.ardms.org.
Category A+ Credit: CE Activities (as defined in this
document) that contain content relevant to the radiologist
extender and that have been approved by a RCEEM+ are
awarded Category A+ credit.
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Category P Credit: CE activities (as defined in this
document) that contain content relevant to the radiologist
extender and have been awarded Category I credit by the
AMA/ACCME, AAPA, or the AAFP. Category P credits may
only be used for CE compliance by the R.R.A.
MDCB: Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board, 1120 Rt.
73, Suite 200, Mt. Laurel, NJ, 08054, phone: (856) 4391631 or (866) 813-6322, website: www.mdcb.org. NOTE:
Re-examination in Dosimetry by the MDCB does not count
for additional CE credits.
CE Probation Status: Failure to comply with the CE
Requirements will result in CE probation being assigned.
(See Section 9).
NMTCB: Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board,
3558 Habersham at Northlake, Building I, Tucker, GA
30084, phone: (404) 315-1739, website: www.nmtcb.org.
Certification and Registration: The process of attesting to
the demonstration of qualifications in a profession. A
technologist receives a certificate after successfully passing
an ARRT examination and meeting all other educational
and ethics requirements for eligibility. The ARRT annually
registers the certificates of technologists who comply with
the ARRT Rules and Regulations, the ARRT Standards of
Ethics, and the Continuing Education Requirements.
Presentation: An educational activity in which the
presenter develops and orally presents a topic. With proper
documentation, a presenter may receive CE credits for
developing a presentation that has been evaluated and
approved by a RCEEM or a RCEEM+. Although the
developer of the activity must present the activity in order to
receive CE credit, no credit is awarded for actual
presentation. Two CE credits are awarded for the
development of each contact-hour of lecture. Presenters do
not earn credit for courses that have been developed by
another individual. Multiple presenters are awarded credit
based upon the portion of the lecture they develop. Each
presentation can be used only once for credit. This total
must not exceed 12 credits per biennium.
CIIP: Certified Imaging Informatics Professional. Credential
awarded by the ABII in Imaging Informatics.
Contact Hour: Equal to 50-60 minutes and awarded one
CE credit.
Continuing Education (CE) Activity: A learning activity
that is planned, organized, and administered to maintain
and enhance the professional knowledge and skills
underlying professional performance that a technologist
uses to provide services for patients, the public, or the
medical profession. Activities meeting this definition may
qualify as either Category A or A+ credit depending upon
whether they have been submitted to review and approval
by a Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation
Mechanism (RCEEM or RCEEM+).
RACC: The Radiology Administration Certification
Commission, 490-B Boston Post Road, Suite 200, Sudbury,
MA 01776, phone: (978) 443-7591, website:
www.crainfo.org.
Radiologic Technology: The health profession comprised
of certified and registered technologists and radiation
therapists who provide services for physicians, patients,
and the public. This “umbrella” term encompasses the
imaging and therapeutic modalities in medical radiology,
including the radiologist assistant.
Continuing Education (CE) Credit: Unit of measurement
for CE activities. One CE credit is awarded for one contact
hour (50-60 minutes). Activities longer than one hour are
assigned whole or partial credits based on the 50-60 minute
hour. Educational activities of 30-49 minutes duration will be
awarded one-half of one CE credit. An activity that lasts less
than 30 minutes will receive no credit.
RCEEM and RCEEM + (Recognized Continuing
Education Evaluation Mechanism): A mechanism for
evaluating the content, quality, and integrity of an
educational activity. The evaluation must include a review
of educational objectives, content selection, faculty
qualifications, and educational methods and materials.
Among the requirements for qualification as a RCEEM, an
organization must be national in scope, non-profit, radiology
based, and willing to evaluate CE activities developed by
any technologist within a given discipline. The organization
must demonstrate the need for an additional RCEEM and
supply evidence of sufficient experience and resources to
provide for the valid and reliable evaluation of CE activities.
The RCEEM+ has all of the responsibilities of a RCEEM in
addition to the evaluation and approval of radiologist
extender level (R.R.A.) CE activities. The RCEEM+ is
authorized to award both Categories A and A+ credit
depending on the content level of the activity.
Documentation: Proof of participation in a particular
educational activity. May be submitted in the form of a
certificate of completion or an itemized list from the CE
sponsor. All documentation must include: name of the
sponsor issuing the documentation, and a reference number
issued by a RCEEM. (see Section 14)
In-service Presentation: In-service presentations that are
general in content and apply to a wide audience of
technologists would be considered a CE activity. In-service
presentations that are specific to a facility will not be
awarded CE credit. In-service presentations must be
approved for Category A CE credit by a RCEEM or
recognized state licensing agency.
_______________________________________________
Organizations with current RCEEM status include:
American College of Radiology
American Healthcare Radiology Administrators
American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
American Society of Nuclear Cardiology
** American Society of Radiologic Technologists
** Association of Vascular and Interventional
Radiographers
Canadian Association of Medical Radiation
Technologists
** Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board
Example 20.1: A course on universal precautions would be
applicable for any technologist.
Example 20.2: A course on how radiographic procedures are
finalized is specific to that facility and does not meet the
definition of a CE activity.
_______________________________________________
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SLA: State Licensing Agency, the following states may
designate the CE activities that are evaluated and approved
by their state licensing agency as Category A credit (see
Section 12):
Florida
Illinois
Iowa
Kentucky
Massachusetts New Mexico
Oregon
Texas
Radiological Society of North America
Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Section for Magnetic Resonance Technologists
** Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular
Imaging-Technologist Section
Society for Vascular Ultrasound
** Identifies organizations with RCEEM+ status.
SMRT: Section for Magnetic Resonance Technologists of
the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in
th
Medicine, 2030 Addison Street, 7 Floor, Berkeley, CA
94704, phone: (510) 841-1899, website:
www.ismrm.org/smrt.
Reinstatement: An individual who fails to renew certification
and registration or fails to comply with the CE Requirements
for renewal will be discontinued and is no longer certified
and registered by the ARRT. In order to become certified
and registered again, the individual must apply for
reinstatement of registration and meet other requirements as
described in the ARRT Rules and Regulations.
SNMMI-TS: Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular
Imaging-Technologist Section, 1850 Samuel Morse Drive,
Reston, VA 20190, phone: (703) 708-9000, website:
www.snmmi.org.
R.R.A.: ARRT awards the designation “Registered
Radiologist Assistant” or “R.R.A.” to radiologist extenders
who meet and continue to meet certification and
registration requirements as designated in the ARRT
Rules and Regulations.
Sponsor: The owner or authorized representative of the
owner of the CE activity. The sponsor is an individual or an
organization responsible for the content, quality, and
integrity of the educational activity. A sponsor plans,
organizes supports, endorses, subsidizes, and/or
administers educational activities. (See Section 16.)
RSNA: Radiological Society of North America, 820 Jorie
Boulevard, Oak Brook, IL 60523-2251, phone: (630) 5712670 or (800) 381-6660 (US and Canada), website:
www.rsna.org.
SVU: Society for Vascular Ultrasound, 4601 Presidents
Drive, Suite 260, Lanham, MD 20706, phone: (301) 4597550, website: www.svunet.org.
R.T.: ARRT awards the designation “Registered
Technologist” or “R.T.” to those who meet and continue to
meet certification and registration requirements as
designated in the ARRT Rules and Regulations.
Tumor Boards: Sometimes referred to as chart rounds or
cancer conferences, tumor boards are limited to 12 credits
per biennium and must be RCEEM or SLA approved. Tumor
SDMS: Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, 2745
boards are typically a general review of a specific tumor to
Dallas Parkway, Ste 350, Plano TX, 75093-8730, phone:
include anatomy, physiology, pathology, symptoms, and
(214) 473-8057 or (800) 229-9506, website: www.sdms.org.
treatment options. CE credit is not to be awarded for
activities during which the treatment plan for a patient is
discussed.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
1255 Northland Drive
St. Paul MN 55120
(651) 687-0048, ext. 8540
www.arrt.org
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